Apparatuses of the generic type are known from a wide variety of fields. Very generally, they are apparatuses used for handling and/or processing objects of any kind. The objects are delivered either to a single processing station or to multiple processing stations, usually in a predefined sequence; processed therein; and then lastly transported away from the processing station, in which context different groups of processing stations can be arranged behind and/or next to another.
The reader is referred, purely by way of example, to EP 0 849 582 A2. This document discloses an apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens. In this, cytological or histological specimens are delivered by way of an object carrier or basket (often also called a “rack” in technical terminology) to an automatic stainer, the automatic stainer comprising multiple processing stations.
In the field of cytology and histology, transport of the samples to be treated was hitherto accomplished using motion mechanisms that are constructed on the X-Y-Z principle using three linear axes, or using a vertical linear axis with additional rotational motion. If a total of three linear axes are provided, samples can be picked up from a rectangularly arranged field and set down into it. The size of this field is determined by the X and Y linear axes. If transport is performed on the basis of only one vertical linear axis with additional rotational motion, then the sample can be picked up and set down along a circular path.
The aforementioned motion mechanisms are problematic in practical use, however, in that the samples to be positioned and/or picked up cannot be moved unrestrictedly. The use of corresponding motion mechanisms is thus greatly limited, or the use of such motion mechanisms requires a very particular (and rigid) arrangement of the processing stations.